GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR FIELD WORK ON BIRDS. 251 



The object in bird study, as it was in the study of 

 many of the insects, is the knowledge of the birds, not 

 the killing and the mounting, nor yet the killing and the 

 eating and surely not the killing for a sharpshooter's 

 medal, or some aim more idle still. A record of the 

 facts gleaned from a study of birds, if faithfully and neatly 

 kept, may turn out to be valuable at some future time 

 in ways which may be entirely unforeseen at the begin- 

 ning. This is the way in which all the men who have 

 since become useful in the great world of science have 

 begun their life work. And they are proofs that it always 

 pays to do a thing faithfully and well. 



As suggested in the pages mentioned, there are certain 

 times of the year during which bird study is especially 

 interesting and profitable, and these are the nesting season 

 and the season of migration. There are many new facts 

 yet to be discovered about these two phases of the bird's 

 existence ; besides the many problems concerning individ- 

 ual birds and their neighbors, and the bird's ways of 

 meeting the growing needs of its environment. 



If the class is near enough to some museum of natural 

 history, it will be a rare privilege to study the birds at 

 close range, where they will all sit still long enough to be 

 studied completely. Other ways of doing will suggest 

 themselves to the earnest teacher who is alive to the 

 duties and privileges of the situation. Special aptitude 

 for the subject is not an indispensable requisite, although 

 it makes things easier, but there are needed such qualities 

 as these: a clear aim; an enthusiasm which is warranted 

 not to flag; and a genius for patience. These given, the 

 reward is sure. 



